**The Family We Need

        Today's is Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In case you are not familiar with that story that changed Mexico forever, it is a beautiful one. I have visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City and saw the miraculous image that appeared on St. Juan Diego's tilma there more than once. Many of us never had a mother's love. Make Mary your mother and she will keep you close to her Son always. And Jesus becomes your bother. If you never had a father's love, we have the best Father in heaven who can heal your soul and fill all the voids of your life. Then the Holy Spirit becomes your protector and teacher. Have the God of Christ and you shall lack nothing for all eternity! God has so made us that our life is incomplete until we find and settle in him.

*Just Us and God

        We do not live in the world alone, for God is ever present. All other fellow humans will pass away, but God is always there. So it is our relationship with him, our Father, that matters the most to us. The secret of getting along with him is to remain absolutely humble before him and then ask for anything we need for a safe trip back to him in heaven. Quite simple.       

*Never Get Sidetracked

        Communion thoughts. I was looking forward to receiving the Lord into me. Then I thought if I were now offered to attend the greatest Christmas party in the world or take the most fantastic vacation there is, all expenses paid, or get a ticket free for the chance of winning a billion dollars, would I skip Holy Communion? The temptation to say yes is great, but I still would choose to receive Christ, for we must keep our journey back to God on track. [Afterthought. What if I were given a billion dollars outright? In that case, I would skip Communion this time, take the money, and plan on giving it away for good causes and resuming receiving Holy Communion tomorrow.]

*Faith Works Miracles

        In today's Gospel reading from Luke 5, as Jesus was teaching, some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed to him. Not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he not only forgave his sins, but also healed him. It just shows how faith can produce miracles. If we believe that nothing is impossible with God, we must practice what we believe. That is, we take God's word seriously, abandon ourselves totally in him, and let our faith reap its rewards.

Incompatible Twosome

        Ego and inner peace cannot coexist within us. 

**Beyond Expectations

       Today's response to Psalm 85 came from Isaiah 35: Our God will come to save us. The Jewish people had been waiting for the promised coming of the Messiah. They mostly likely were expecting to see the appearance of someone like a great king who would deliver them from all their enemies on earth. If Christ had come like that, probably everyone would have cheered and the Crucifixion would not have taken place. The fact is that he came as our Savior beyond all expectations – to deliver us from all enemies, including death, for all eternity! And we, being born after his coming, have the advantage of being able to understand what his mission was all about. All in all, rejoicing is in order!

**Safeguarding the Soul

        Whatever you do, ask yourself if it's going to benefit or damage your own soul and anyone else's too. After all, this is our Lord's No. 1 concern. 

***Ready for the Day of Judgment?

        We will be judged by God after we die or when Jesus comes next, whichever comes first. When the judgment will take place is not important. What is important is whether we are ready to be judged right now, since either can happen at any time.

*Ours for the Taking!

        Think of God as water and that we are spigots that control the flow of that water into us. How much water we are willing to receive is entirely up to us. This water is living water, powerful enough to give us life everlastingly. On earth, it quenches our thirst, cleanses us, heals our soul, shields us from evil, and keeps us strong to face all trials and tribulations. God's power is all ours for the taking! 

Making Straight God's Paths

        I went to Vigil Mass today. The Gospel reading came from Mark 1. Mark started the Gospel by quoting Isaiah: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths." And John the Baptist did come as the messenger and Christ followed. Of course, the whole point of the Lord's coming is to enter our hearts, so how are we to prepare his way and make straight his paths? It turns out that we are the only obstacles in his way. Therefore, if you wish to receive him, you must be passive and out of his way for him to enter smoothly without encountering any resistance. 

Concern About Satan

        Those not in God need to be concerned about Satan the most, yet they are not concerned at all. A sad situation. On the other hand, those safely in God need not be concerned about Satan and are not concerned. A most happy situation.

Intimate Moments With God

        Communion experience. After receiving the Lord, I felt I was close to him more than ever. In those few moments, peace reigned over both my mind and my heart. I knew that once I get to heaven and belong to God completely, peace will reign over me forever.

*When to Enjoy God

        He is best enjoyed when you have a pure heart and a clear conscience.

Forgetting About Ourselves

        To live for God alone, one must forget about himself. This is possible only if you let God draw you to him first, for as you are drawn closer to him, you become more aware of his presence and less of your own. Nevertheless, at the beginning when you wish God to draw you, you need to make the conscious effort to get yourself out of his way.

*God All-Knowing

        Today is Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blesses Virgin Mary. In the second reading from Ephesians 1, Paul wrote, "Blesses be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him." In Jeremiah 1, the Lord said to the prophet, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you." There are many other verses from Scriptures I can quote. What is obvious is that God does not have to plan in advance – he already knows everything. Therefore, we can trust in him fully, knowing that all things will work out in the end.

Signs You're in Love With God

        You long for him and want to be in union with him, and you are eager to spread the good news of salvation to as many others as possible.

Our Only Hope

        Communion experience. Christ the Lord is the only one who can get us into heaven, for there is only one God.

*Taking the Fast Track

        As long as we focus upon how we can love God or what we should do to love him, our spiritual process will be slow and laborious. Forget about ourselves and focus 100% on the Lord instead to let him draw you to him fast. That is, always head straight for the Father to learn everything spiritual firsthand from him! If your heart is ready, you will hear his voice.